Combination wrench and die starter



Feb 24', 1942. c. A. OSTAS 2,273,982

COMBINATION WRENCH AND DIE STARTER Filed-July 27, 1940 PI G11- INVENTOR; j Chester :17. Ostas,

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 24, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE l Q g i 2,273,982

ooMBINArIoN WRENCH AND DIE STARTER I I Chester A; Ostas, Bedford, Ohio Application M15 27, 1940, ser al No. 347,907

1 Claim. (o1. s1 72) This invention has general reference to combination wrench. and die starter devices ordinarily designed to'engage in and rotatefor .purposes of removal, or the insertionof, short lengths of tubular parts from their normal seat-.

ing,.xas well as for starting adie-nut to. cut a screw-thread at the end of a pipe without the use of a conventional sto'ck.

Such devicesyas above specified, usually comprise .a hollow body member housing radially active; dogs for locking said. device ,interiorly. of the tubular part to be removed orinserted, with anexterior threaded portionfor reception and operation of a screw-cutting die nut.

The primary object of this invention is to furnish an improved wrench and diestartercf the indicated species characterized by a novel and more effective locking means whereby the general efiiciency of such devices 'isincreased. .Another object of this invention is, the provision of a combination wrench and. die starter characterized by opposed radially-shiftable lockingldogs, with a coactive intervening and axiallymovable expander-wedge component.

- :A further object of this invention is the pm- I vision ofv a. combination internal wrench and screw-cutting die starter as indicated in. the preceding paragraph, whichis especially adapted for the removal of broken off portions of threaded pipe ends from fitting; as .well as for re-thread- .ing the remaining portion of. SllCh'bI0k8IlOfi pipe this invention will become apparent from the following detailed explanation of the preferred form illustrated by the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in all the views; while the concluding claims more particularly recite the features of novelty over prior art.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal view of the wrench device of this invention in applied position for removal of a broken pipe end from a fitting, said pipe end and fitting being shown in section for purposes of clarity.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the wrench device and associated parts included in the preceding view, but drawn to a larger scale for better illustration of details, said section being taken approximately on the plane II--II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the plane III--III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the dogs hereinafter fully explained.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the expander wedge, later on explained in detail; and,

Fig. 6 is a view somewhat corresponding to Fig. 1, but showing the device in use for cutting a screw-thread on the end of a pipe by aid of an associated die-nut.

In describing the embodiment of this invention illustrated by the above captioned drawing, specific terms will be employed for the sake ofclarity, but it is to be understood the scope of said invention is not thereby limited; each such term being deemed to embrace all equivalents which perform substantially the same function for an analogous purpose. 1

Referring now specifically to the drawing, it will be observed that the v improved internal wrench and die-nut starter. device of this invention, as illustrated, comprises a hollow body member l having a cylindrical bore 2, with a relatively reducled screw-threaded extension 3 and a plain terminal portion l; while the remote end of the bore 2 is fitted with a removable closure-plug 5 having a semi-spherical head 6, said plug being restrained against rotation by a set screw 1, in an obvious manner. The body member I is also provided with an external screw-threaded part 8 and a polygonal-shaped manipulating head .9, later on again referred to.

-In-the plain or barrel portion In, of the'body member I, are diametrically-opposed arcualslots H, for reception of the complemental toothed .portions or lugs l2 of radially-shiftable segmental members l3. Each segmental or looking member l3, as best understood from Fig. 4, more particularly, is of less than semi-circular cross-section transversely, with the toothed lug l2 projecting from the outer or cylindridally curved face l4, and aninner tapering surface defining with said curved face an inclined plane l5, circumscribedby the parallel segmental end chord edges l6, and the opposingly curved edges l1 formed by cutting the cylindrical portion, on a longitudinal plane inclined at an acute angle with respect to the axis of the device.

Interposed between and coactive with the segmental locking members I3 is a tapered wedge l8 corresponding to that of said members; and as seen in Fig. 5 to best advantage, this Wedge l8 has opposed inclined plane surfaces l9 respectively engageable with theconfronting faces l5 of the members l3, under the action of an expander stud 20 operative in the screwthreaded extension 8 of the bore of. the body member I. It is to be noted that the thread 2| on the stud 20 is conveniently left-handed, or directionally opposed to that of the body memher part 8; also that the inclination of the faces l5 and I9 is such as to positively force the segmental members l3 radially outwards in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the internal wrench and die-nut starting device. It is also worthy of note that the expander stud 20 is formed with:

a manipulator head 22 and that the over all di,

l0, so that when once assembled with the wedge l8 in said portion they are preventedirom"fall-- ing out even when the plug 5 is not in place,-or-

should it be lost; also that the teeth 23 are pitched for left-hand 1 activity inorder to positively prevent a rotation of the body member I 5 when a die-nut threadedon the part 8 seeeFig. 6, is turned for screw-threading the endiaof a pipe 24- externally', asconventionally I shown in said figure.

From the foregoing;- it will be reaidily"understood that when itis desired-to renrove'a brokenoff portion 24 Figs. 1 -3; of threaded pipe from afitting 25,: the plain barreliend l of "the -de'-- vice-of this inventionis inserte'dz in saidp'ortion 24' still remaining in the fitting" 25*,-with the teeth 23 retractedinwardly of th'e 'a-rcual slots II; by previousurotation oi the expander stud 20 to the right-handa and l incidental 1 relase 'o-f the wedge I 8 from jamming *coactio-n with the inclined I faces lof the segmental -locking{mem bers 1 3- When the device is positioned as -just stated; theoperator: rotates the expander-stud to the left-hand by--suitable -m'eans until its inner end engages and axially forcessthe -wedge l8? between the; segmental locking members-'- I3' radially outwards until the respectivelymposing lug teeth 23 firmly grip into the bore of the pipe end 24; whereupon application of further rotary: motion: to the stud- 20, it -wi'll' bet-obvi'ous that said pipe-"end can be readily -withdrawn= from the fitting Obviously; by a reverse operation; after: securing 1 the: teeth 2 3 into a screw-nipple anwapplying a wrench -to -the body memb'erilread 9;said nipple can be driven to the desired extent into? an interior-1y screw-=threaded pipe or other desiredlocation. Again it-will be readily under stood :that the broken off pipe .end fl -"is removed- Without'injury to the s'crew thread' in tlie fitting125.

In order to facilitate re -threading of the pipe 24, the described device is introduced into the end thereof, as aforesaid, until the shoulder 8 of the screw portion 8 abuts the pipe end, then the expander screw 20 is rotated until the teeth 23 firmly grip into the inner wall, whereupon the appropriate die-nut 26, previously threaded on the screw 8 can be turned by a Stillson wrench and a new thread out with ease and a minimum of labor. At this juncture, it will be noted that thescrew-thread. 8 onwthe'bo'dytmem'ber I preferably conforms .-with'tl'iat desired to'be cut exteriorly of the pipe 24; also that when the dienut 26 is initially started it will be correctly aligned with respect to the axis of the pipe 24 *and"thereby greatly facilitate the cutting of an accurate thread on said pipe.

It will furthermore be understood that minor changes in-the size, form and various parts of thescombined internal wrench and die starter of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof; aslmore tersely expressed in the follbwing claim Havingithus described-11mminvention; lzclaimc internallwrenclrrcomprisinglaabody meme ber includin'g "abarrelisecti'on, withl'a removable closure at itsentry end: and-2a; larger" diameter. externally screw=threaded3 portion, d'efinings an; abutment shoulder, withsaiman-i-pulator headeat the outer: end :of i saidaiportion; diametricallyisopposed arcu'al 1 slots in thei-barrelisection; comple'e mental dog-elements: disposed ilen'gthwise within th'ez'barrel-:sectionboret andieachlotsaidelnients being of sectoral i c1 0ss-'-Isection1with thea curved face conformatory to that of the barrel lsectiorr bore anxl'thaving the chord face'in'clined atlan acutef'an'gle relative) to lth'ezlongitudinal axis or therbody member; a: radiallyi'directedr-toothed' lugmediallyaprojectingifromlthe curvedlfaceofieaeh: dogn element 2 forr projection through the assoe ciatedoarcualzslot; saidlug beiIIgllOf ascircu'mferentiallyi directed extent to: provide: substantial fflan king 5: portions offi theicurvediface anitin dividual wedge; embpdying: opposed? cylindrical Walls concentrically related to:- the: barrel bore andx'intermediate inclined faces.- complemental to and: shiita'ble with respect to the corresponding coactivie faces of the dogfielemen'ts; and ther drama eter. acrossithe; doga 'lugs'lbeingi intexcess: of that of ztheibarrel' to: ensure theirretntiominthe barrel .wvhen athe .;wedge isrreleased 1 an'd a-serewi-stud threaded: in. a l-reduced: interior 1 extension ofthe barrel bore f or abutting coactioniwitti tlie confrontin-g -,.end. of: the wedge; to force the dogs eleme'nts': radially outwards; and retractable *fOr re} leasing said wedgetand'nog' elementsi CHESTER osrrns e 

